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| SUNRAYS JULY 2014
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
GOLF
Our Handicap System
Submitted by the Golf Committee
One of the many things that makes the
wonderful game of golf in Sun City Texas
unique, competitive, and more enjoyable
is the ability to establish and compete
with a handicap that reflects the player’s
ability and potential. Player handicaps
are “fluid,” in the sense that they are
updated twice a month, thus reflecting
the player’s most recent play. This of
course means that as a player’s game
improves and the scores become lower,
the handicap will come down; or, as is
sometimes the case, the opposite will
happen. Either way, the beauty of the
handicap system is that it reflects how
a player is currently playing.
How Does the Handicap
System Work?
Each time you play a round of golf, you
are obligated to post your score. Sun
City Texas, like many courses around
the country, uses the Golf Handicap In-
formation Network (GHIN) system, a
service operated by the USGA, to post
your scores and maintain your handi-
caps. The system allows you to post your
score online through the GHIN website,
or you can post your score at any one of
our three Pro Shops.
On the 1st and 15th of every month, the
GHIN system recalculates your handi-
cap index. It looks at your last 20 scores
and takes the average of your lowest 10
scores to determine your new handicap
index. Whenever you play, your handicap
index is converted to an actual number
(your course handicap) for the course
and tees you are going to play.
What’s the Difference
between My Course Handicap
and My Handicap Index?
Each time you post a score, you must
also indicate what course you played
and what tees you played from (gold,
blue, green, etc.). Since each course is
rated differently in terms of difficulty
from each set of tees, GHIN takes this
into account to determine your index for
that particular round. This means that
because your score index is adjusted to
reflect the relative difficulty of the course
and tees you played, your handicap index
is “flexible” in the sense that whatever
course or set of tees you decide to play,
your handicap index will convert to the
appropriate course handicap for you.
What is Equitable Stroke
Control?
Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is used
to ensure that, based on your handicap,
an unusually high score on any given
hole (I can’t believe I hit it in the water
three times!) is adjusted downward to a
maximum score, based on your handi-
cap, so that it does not unduly affect
your handicap. ESC is also to be used
as the score you take on a hole if, for
some reason, you do not finish the hole.
There is a chart in each of the Pro Shops
that shows, based on your handicap, the
maximum score you are allowed to take
on a hole.
What If I Don’t Finish My
Round?
What am I supposed to do if I can’t fin-
ish my round because: it’s raining, it’s
getting dark, I’m late for cocktails/din-
ner, etc.? According to the USGA scoring
guidelines, if you played less than seven
holes, you cannot post a score. If you play
at least seven holes and no more than 12
holes, you should post a nine-hole score.
If you play 13 or more holes, you should
post an 18-hole score. For the holes that
you did not play, you should post a score
that reflects how you would have scored
on each hole based on your handicap (i.e.
if you would normally get a stroke on a
hole, take a bogey; if you would normally
get two strokes, take a double bogey, etc.)
.
What If I Have a Question
About My Handicap?
The MGA, the WGA 9-hole, and the
WGA 18-hole clubs each have a handicap
committee. Their mission is to monitor
and ensure the integrity of the handicaps
of their members. Members of these or-
ganizations should direct any questions
or concerns to the appropriate handi-
cap committee. Other questions can be
directed to any of our three head golf
professionals.
The next Couples Golf Associa-
tion playday will be Saturday,
July 12, at Cowan Creek with an
8 a.m. shotgun start. Our August
2 playday will also feature an 8
a.m. shotgun start at White Wing
with a luncheon to follow at the
Legacy Hills Park Pavilion.
If you’re looking for friendly cou-
ples with whom to play golf and
socialize, look no further than
the CGA! Be sure to check our
website for the complete calendar
of events and how to sign up for
these events, as well as member-
ship information. And check this
out—new member membership
fees are only $7.50 per person af-
ter July 1!
Join us today and find out why
everyone’s talking about the CGA!
CGA News
Submitted by Sandy Phillips
J L 2 14
